God's Presence is Always With Us

Israel was originally a nomadic people. Abraham and his descendants followed their herds of animals as they sought greener lands. Perhaps the present day Bedouins with their camels and tents share a common ancestry.
The Book of Samuel tells us that Ark of the Covenant was housed in a tent. The Ark contained the original set of the 10 Commandments, and like the tabernacle in our church, was the focal point of God’s special presence among his people. As a transient people, this kind of dwelling place for the Presence of God was appropriate for their way of life. No matter where they were, no matter how often they moved, God always dwelt with them in a special way. In those early years, Israel moved around a lot not unlike our parish family.
In over fifty years, St. Teresa of Avila has seen its worship space travel from space to space. Our first masses took place in the living room of a home in the Montclair neighborhood. Then we worshipped in a Butler building on Pleasant Home Road (the Cathedral of the folding chairs) followed by a church that was built under Fr. DiFrancesco’s leadership. When our parish family outgrew that building, we moved to Columbia County in the new millennium where we worshipped in the Parish Life Center (the Cathedral of the stacking chairs) until we built the new church where we now have worshipped for three years.
St. Teresa and the people of Israel have a lot in common. We both have moved a lot but God’s presence has always been with us.
Once he had established himself as the King of Israel, David wondered whether he should build something more substantial to house the Ark. However, God flipped the script and promised that the House of David would be established on a firm foundation. Indeed, a thousand years later, God’s special Presence that once dwelt in a tent in the desert entered in human history once again in a unique dwelling place.
This new home was neither a tent nor a temple building made of marble and precious metals. It was one of David’s descendants that God would choose to use as the instrument by which He would send His Son into the world. His incarnation through the power of the Holy Spirit made Mary the new Ark, the new tent, the new Temple, the new tabernacle where God’s presence is made manifest.
Two thousand years later, God still dwells with us. His presence can still be found in the church’s tabernacle. He can be found in the sacraments and in the Word. He can be found in we who are the Church. As we prepare to welcome the Christ Child, we ask God to help us carry His presence into a world that is in need of His Light and Glory.